Different groups of materials and farm products are stored in silos, grain elevators and similar structures. After a period of time due to pressure, heat and other factors, the materials often compact and congeal against the side walls. This compacting can prevent the flow of material through the structure in addition to preventing the use of the compacted material itself.
In the past, several ineffective and dangerous methods have been used to breakup the materials. One method has been to physically lower a man into the structure. Such action has resulted in injuries and fatalities due to the caving in of materials, fumes from the materials and suffocation. Another method used has been to vibrate portions of the structure itself to break the compacted material away from the wall. This method is often ineffective and can cause structural damage to the subject structure.
Several vibrating systems have been patented which achieve the compacting of materials such as concrete: Ludeman U.S. Pat. No. 2,080,727; Spaulding U.S. Pat. No. 3,020,720; and Malan U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,124. The present system, however, is designed for the opposite result: the breakup of compacted material, and thus using prongs capable of breaking the compacted material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,964 discloses a method of feeding materials in a storage bin. A vertical shaft is suspended from the top of the bin. Blades are attached to the shaft along with a vibrating mechanism. The blades are capable of vibration and when placed over or near the discharge opening, can prevent the arching of material over the discharge opening.
The vibrator disclosed herein, since it is introduced into the structure by cable, is more versatile than a stationary blade. The disclosed vibrator may be utilized to break up materials stuck to walls, to the bottom of the bin, arching over the discharge opening, or materials in any other position in the storage bin. In addition the system disclosed can be introduced into the bin after the materials have been compacted for the vibrator can breakup already compacted materials. Thus, the system need not be housed in each bin and one vibrator may be used for many structures as opposed to the fixed blade set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,964.
The disclosed vibrator also takes advantage of the fact that every material has a natural frequency at which it will "dance" and move on its own. The vibrator may achieve the varying frequencies of the various materials by making the following adjustments: varying the length of the prongs; adjusting the position of the eccentrics; and adjusting the number of the revolutions per minute of the eccentrics. Once the natural frequency is achieved, the materials themselves breakup, and with the proper positioning of the vibrator, the material may be effectively moved to the desired position.
The versatility of the described vibrator also allows two or more vibrators to be introduced into the storage bin. When both vibrators reach the material's frequency, the material experiences a rippling effect and is even more effectively broken up.